Invasive Weeds
Invasive plants are defined as any invasive alien plant species that has the potential to pose undesirable or detrimental impacts on humans, animals or ecosystems. Invasive plants establish quickly and easily and out-compete our native species for resources for survival such as nutrients, sunlight, and water. Native species are then crowded out of their natural environment. Invasive plants also have no natural predators in these environments so they create an imbalance in nature as native plants offer no competition.
The following invasive species are very common to the North Shore (click on the links to learn how to rid your garden of these particular plants):
- English Ivy (Hedera helix) (photo)
- Morning glory or hedge bindweed (Convolvulus sepium) (photo)
- Giant hogweed or giant cow-parsnip (Heracleum mantegazzianum) (photo)
- Himalayan blackberry (Rubus discolor) (photo)
- Giant knotweed (Polygonum sachalinense) (photo)
Other invasives common in our region include (links to come):